Katie Couric donates 1,500 pencils to fourth-grade class

KENTWOOD, MI -- Freshly sharpened pencils have become a hot commodity in Jean Pergande’s fourth-grade class after a donation from TV personality Katie Couric – which could put them in the national spotlight.

The former national broadcast journalist and now talk show host donated nearly 1,500 pencils and an electric commercial pencil sharpener to Pergande’s class at Townline Elementary through DonorsChoose.org donation site.

“At the end of the day, we have a job called ‘pencil sharpener’ and that student sharpens the pencil for the next day. This is now the most popular classroom job,” Pergande said. “The job was not very popular when they had to use the plain old wall sharpener.”

In March, a producer for the nationally syndicated Katie Couric Show notified Pergande that Couric would fulfill her pencil and pencil sharpener donation request. The producer also requested a short video of the class that could be featured on an upcoming episode.

“My students were very excited,” Pergande said. “Some were not quite sure who Katie Couric is, but the fact that we could be on TV was a very exciting thing for them.”

Pergande said she was not sure why the show’s producers chose her class for the donation or possible inclusion in the upcoming episode, which is expected to air May 26.

“Whatever they choose to do -- it’s still a neat way to showcase Kentwood and the special group of kids that we have at Townline,” Pergande said. “It’s an honor to show a little bit of our school – even if it is a 7 second video.”

Pergande explained that her annual $200 budget for classroom items is not enough to fund the school supplies her students need. The fourth-grade teacher typically spends about $300 to $500 of her own money each year on school supplies.

To help offset some of that out-of-pocket expense, Pergande offers various donation requests on her DonorsChoose.org website, including multiplication flashcards, compasses and blank books.

“Most of the time, we’re using our own money. Donors Choose is a blessing for teachers to get some things that students are not able to afford,” Pergande said. “A lot of my students don’t have pencils. I wanted each of my students to have a new pencil each week of the school year. We have so many students so willing and eager to learn and when they don’t show up with the supplies they need – it’s a real road block.”

Since receiving Couric’s donation just before spring break, each of Pergande’s 20 students now get a new sharpened pencil to start the week and rotate having the pencil sharpening job each week. The donation will also provide pencils for her students next school year, Pergande said.

"I can't wait to have the pencil sharpener job because it is fast and not slow like the old-fashioned sharpener,” student Alicia Fields said.

"When my pencil breaks I can just grab a Katie Couric pencil and start writing,” said student Brian Encarnacion. “It is always ready and sharpened. I can't wait to be the pencil sharpener.”